India / BJP shares animated video for Muslims to clear doubts about CAA & NRC

New Delhi: Hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured protesters Sunday that Indian Muslims have no reason to fear the new Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), the BJP launched a social media campaign to further dispel confusion on the issue.

The BJP’s official Twitter handle shared an animated video featuring two Muslim characters — one asking about the CAA and the NRC, and the other answering basic questions on the issues — in an effort to remove fear and confusion.

देश के सभी मुसलमान भाई-बहनों से अपील है कि पहले खुद नागरिकता संशोधन अधिनियम को समझें और फिर दूसरों को भी समझाएं।

नहीं तो झूठ और भ्रम फैलाने वाले राजनीतिक दल अपने वोट बैंक के स्वार्थ के लिए हमें आपस में यूँ ही लड़ाते रहेंगे।

अफवाहों से बचें और सच जानें... pic.twitter.com/xbPQ9PXy6n

— BJP (@BJP4India) December 22, 2019

‘Beware of rumours’

One of the characters in the video accuses the opposition parties of spreading falsehood regarding the CAA and the NRC to provoke the Muslims.

“It’s an appeal to all Muslim brothers and sisters to first understand the Citizenship Amendment Act and then explain it to others. Otherwise, political parties that spread lies and confusion will continue to make us fight among ourselves for their vote-bank politics. Beware of rumours and know the truth,” reads the BJP’s post accompanying the video.

The video also displays a map of India while trying to explain how the CAA is an effort to ensure peace among all communities and that it’s in no way against Indian Muslims.

On NRC, one of the characters says there hasn’t been any announcement on carrying out the exercise in the country.

The CAA seeks to grant citizenship to non-Muslim refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh if they faced religious persecution there — provided they entered India on or before 31 December 2014.

The legislation has triggered widespread protests across the country — some violent and some peaceful. Many places witnessed clashes between protesters and police, internet shutdowns and curfew being imposed. More than 15 people, including an 8-year-old boy, have lost their lives in Uttar Pradesh during such protests until now.